The Birth of Something Beautiful
by Keijo6
Summary: Many seasons ago, in a land far away, two longnecks struggle to form a bond of eternal love. However, that turns out to be more difficult than at least one of them had hoped but on the stake isn't only their own happiness but the very existence of everything that came afterwards in the world of Land Before Time.


**The Birth of Something Beautiful**

"And that was when I saw it. A completely green tree star hanging all alone in the canopy of those dead trees and… and mother gave it to me. It was one of the most wondrous things I had seen in ages during our journey in that wasteland, wondrous enough that I decided even against eating it. It was for long my last memory of her… until the sharptooth crushed it a long time later. But the moment I received it was one of my most precious memories, especially about my mother." Littlefoot said with a slightly gloomy voice as he looked at the towering form of his father. The duo were lying in the ground, remembering the certain someone both of them missed greatly. Bron looked at his son with a long face, not waiting for long to give his answer.

"All of that sounds so much like her. Your mother was one longneck who always found something good or beautiful in even the most difficult of situations." He said, his eyes returning to days long since past. A slight smile rose to his face even if he regretted it deeply he hadn't been there for his family when they had most needed him. The younger longneck looked at his father for a short moment before giving his answer to Bron's words.

"She indeed did. I was very young back then but still it felt like nothing bad could happen when she was near me. That the Great Valley would magically appear behind every gorge or plain… Of course it wasn't true but at least she kept my hopes alive." He said, not able to hide his sadness as he thought about those days. Even now, hardly a day had passed how very wrong her death had been.

One moment, everything had been just fine, she had stood there besides him and encouraged him forward and then… and then, she had been nothing but a dead pile of flesh on a cliff overlooking the gorge left by the Great Earthshake. That feeling caused his face to fall towards the ground and a feeling of deep emptiness take hold of his heart. Bron looked at the boy in the light of the late evening, feeling the warm wind blow against his massive form. He regretted having to prevent Shorty from attending this meeting but really, this wasn't his business. His voice was low as he answered to Littlefoot.

"And that was all she most likely wanted, Littlefoot. And she succeeded in guiding you here after all." He said, already having heard of her appearances to Littlefoot since her passing. He had a hard time believing them but if Littlefoot really believed in those claims, who was he to tell he was wrong? After a while, the younger longneck spoke to his father again.

"I guess so too. But dad… I've been wondering about one thing. You've never told me about your own past with mother. You've never told what kind of life you lived or when or when you even met. I… I know nothing about any of that." He said, looking curiously at his father. Bron looked at the boy in slight surprise, not having expected to hear such a question. He stuttered somewhat as he tried to find some kind of an answer.

"I… I… never thought about that. Maybe I thought… that it wasn't important, that you weren't interested." He said but almost immediately, he realized just how stupid that answer actually was. And indeed, Littlefoot was far from happy with those words.

"Not interested? Of course I'm interested in that, dad! After all, you are my parents and it's odd I know nothing about either of you! Even my friends do know a lot about their folks even if many of those stories are quite horrible." He said, his voice dropping again suddenly as he thought about especially Cera and Petrie's family history. Bron looked at his son with a bothered look, really struggling to find a good answer to that remark. After a brief moment, he finally started to speak again.

"Not many dinosaurs have been lucky enough to have survived without many, painful losses. But Littlefoot… I can tell you about me and your mother if you really want to. I guess I owe to Tranquil at least that much." He said while looking towards the sky, his mind already preparing for a return to his long-gone youth. Littlefoot's eyes widened in expectation as he looked at his father, more than interested to hear his story. The boy was still slightly taken aback by Bron's mention of his mother's real name as he had never heard it before but even then, he had already heard it many times before. He then spoke to Bron in a happy voice that dipped with expectation.

"Then tell about your past home and how you met mother! I've always wondered what kind of place could have been our common home if the green food hadn't started to die like it did." He said, looking at the older male in deep interest. Bron looked at him for a long time, wondering just how he should start his story. He then looked at his son and took a deep breath as he gazed at the distant Roaring Falls.

"Littlefoot… the truth is that I used to be a Farwalker in my youth as well so maybe it was just my destiny to be one later on as well. My herd travelled far and wide and we went through many adventures back then. I was living with my own mother and brother during those days and I loved both of them greatly. However, as I entered the Time of Great Growing, I slowly realized that I yearned for something more than just endless wandering around the Mysterious Beyond. And before I knew it, I was given the opportunity of my life I had secretly looked for…

* * *

The young longneck looked around himself in awe, not having expected this place called the Emerald Grove to look this grand. Sure, he had seen many beautiful places in his life and he could still remember the endless, green plains of his childhood but the dramatic mountains surrounding this place as well as the lush vegetation all around him made him smile more deeply than he would have expected. And to be honest, he had waited for this for so long as it seemed like the steppes of the Mysterious Beyond were growing dryer by the day. Bron smiled as he looked at his brother as he stopped in the middle of a deep gorge in the middle of this small sanctuary in a dying land.

"I can't believe this place is still this green, Beros! I was slowly starting to believe we'd never see a place this full of green food again!" He said, panting slightly as the weeks of endless wandering finally reached their end. The other boy nodded at Bron and agreed to his statement without any delay.

"Me neither. It's almost scary how fast the green food is dying everywhere… but there's no use worrying of that now. The Grove is every bit as beautiful as mother promised to us." He said as he looked at the massive female accompanying the herd's leader in reporting of the herd's arrival to the permanent inhabitants of this small but beautiful land. Bron glanced at a wide river next to himself, happy to see that he wouldn't have to worry about thirst during his time here. He then turned back at his brother and spoke to him in approval.

"It seems like they have no real objections to us getting in. To be honest, I wouldn't mind at all if we stayed here for a short while longer, at least long enough that wandering out there no longer means going for days without end without any kind of food!" He said, a longing look forming on his face. Beros, however, frowned at the other boy's comment, clearly disappointed by his brother's words.

"Just drop such thoughts already, Bron! Our family has always been one of Farwalkers and believe me, it wouldn't be interesting in the least to spend your whole life in just one place. And really, there is still enough food out there to sustain us for many seasons so just cut the whining." He said in a voice that didn't carry a hint of malice or anger but rather slight frustration. Bron, however, wasn't completely fond of his only sibling's attitude as he made it seem like he thought he knew everything. Bron loved him deeply but the thing was that there were time when started to get on his nerves. He sighed deeply as he looked at the grown-ups talking about some things and praying it wouldn't be long until he could get to properly recovering from the long journey.

* * *

A curious looked formed on the juvenile longneck's face as she stared at the large herd gathering below her. She was sitting on a large cliff overlooking the wide clearing and she investigated the newcomers with a curious look. These days there seemed to be less Farwalkers every day and the reason wasn't lost on her. Ever since the arrival of that other group of newcomers, there plains around the grove had turned grey and barren and she had heard that surviving out there was getting more and more difficult by the day.

And she could very well see it. Most of the Farwalkers were beyond skinny, nearly mere shadows of the longnecks of the Grove who were mostly plump and well-fed. She couldn't help but feel sorry for them but she also admired their courage to traverse the endless and hostile reaches of the world. Without them, it was most likely that the small sanctuaries of the leaf eaters like her precious Emerald Grove would turn into their own little worlds who knew nothing about what was going on outside them. Then again, Tranquil had absolutely no wish to join them as long as she could just stay here in peace.

She could see her own herd reacting the same way she was: with deep curiosity. She looked at the newcomers, her gaze stopping for a moment at two youthful males not far from her who looked more than happy now that this leg of their journey was below them. She could only wonder what kind of stories they and other Farwalkers like them gad to tell…

Suddenly, Tranquil's eyes widened in shock as she realized that the ground was starting to give up under her feet. She yelped in alarm as she headed towards the ground with a host of many small rocks…

* * *

Bron breathed more calmly by the second as he looked at the increasingly friendly expressions on his herd leaders' faces. It was clear at this point that he and the others wouldn't be told to turn on their heels and head back to the hostile wastelands behind them. He could already start to imagine the feeling of being able to sleep in peace from the sharpteeth for a few nights and to not feel like his stomach was burning due to h…

CRACK!

The boy's heart sank as he felt the loud crash not far behind him. It sounded like sky fire but the shaking of the ground itself told the male that wasn't the case. He turned to look at the direction of the sound and he frowned in shock as he looked at the pile of rocks and a juvenile female lying among them. However, before he could even react to the sight, Beros snapped at him in alarm.

"Don't waste time, Bron, and let's go help her! She might be hurt!" He said but before he could finish, Bron was well on his way. For as long as he could remember, he wasn't one to allow others to suffer around him if he simply could avoid it. He panted in worry as he stopped by the female's side and asked her urgently.

"Are you alright? That was a really nasty drop!" He asked, immediately able to see that she wasn't seriously hurt. She was groaning in clear pain but she moved and acted normally which made the boy breath much more easily. Beros stopped beside him to wait for the incoming answer. Tranquil looked around herself, clearly shocked by the accident. Her voice was a worried one but otherwise, there was nothing wrong with it.

"Ouch… that really hurt. Cursed cliff… of course it had to break under me." She said as she looked at her body which was covered in painful but mostly harmless cuts and scratches. The two males looked at her but this time, it was Beros who spoke first.

"I'm glad to hear that. It could have been far worse but it seems you had a lot of luck with you." He said, his friendliness also registering within Bron's mind. He seemed genuinely concerned about the female and… and to be completely honest, the boy started to see why. The girl's greyish-purple skin and her eyes suddenly made his breath grow more forced and her hurt but self-confident movements told Bron that this longneck was a far more interesting one than any he had met before. He looked at her in silence as she finally gave her answer.

"I guess so. But I'm sure you've had far more crappy injuries on your journeys than my few scratches. Where did you come from?" She asked, clearly willing to move on from herself. She cringed in pain but she already knew it was nothing serious and she didn't want the two males to look down upon her. Bron gulped as he heard those words, the odd feeling within him growing by the second. He had never felt this way around another dinosaur but even then, a thought from deep inside him told what it was: the beginnings of a crush he had seen many members of his herd to go through. He moved closer to the girl and spoke to her in a warm voice.

"We came from the plains to our west beyond which there were a few places still green. However, I am just happy to be here for now. My name is Bron." He said, trying to fight against blushing. He couldn't help but be amazed at the sudden appearance of those feelings but maybe this was an answer to his increasing annoyance with the life of a Farwalker. Tranquil looked at him with a neutral look before speaking to him in a soft voice.

"Nice to meet you, Bron. My name is Tranquil and I'm glad you like it here in the Emerald Grove. I've heard other Farwalkers also compliment its beauty." She said as she looked at the high mountains reaching towards the sky. The two boys looked friendly and kind enough towards her despite the female's unusual entrance. Yes, she'd gladly enjoy the duo's company while they'd stay out here. Beros looked at the girl as he answered to her in a similar tone as his brother.

"And why wouldn't they? I really doubt the places we've visited thus far are even close to this place's grandeur. Also, my name is Beros. Do you have any siblings?" He asked, causing Bron to look at his brother oddly. He didn't sound like himself at all and the gleam within his eyes made him increasingly bothered. The boy was surprised as he saw a hint of sadness flash within Tranquil's eye as he heard those words but he was too fixated on the discussion to pay that much heed. The girl waited for a few moments before she gave her answer.

"Why yes, I do. I have two brothers and one sister. But if you'd excuse me, I'd prefer to go home for now. I'll see you two later!" She said with a bothered look, causing Bron's heart to drop suddenly. The sudden change in the mood of the girl was really profound and he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her. He started to speak in a soft and compassionate voice but before he could finish, his brother interrupted Bron abruptly.

"Very well, Tranquil. I hope you have a good day and…"

"I hope so too but would you perhaps like to meet me a bit later? In the evening perhaps?" He asked, freezing Bron's world completely. His brother was interested in Tranquil after all and… and it had been he who had first asked her out! The brownish longneck stared before himself in shock, dreading to hear Tranquil's answer. If Beros was able to make a good impression on her… the boy started to pant slightly as he thought about all of the implications.

The female, on the other hand, frowned slightly at those words. It was clear she wasn't completely happy with the question but after a moment, her expression softened slightly. Her voice was still a silent one but it wasn't nearly as sad as it had previously been. In the end, she was somewhat interested to learn to know Beros a bit better.

"I see no harm in that. See you later, Beros!" She said, leaving Bron to look after her wit a longing gaze. The world seemed to disappear around him as he thought about all of it. Had he just missed the chance of his life time? Would the evening's meeting be successful and his brother and Tranquil would really find each other? Or would he receive another chance in the future? Those questions swirled within his mind as he thought about how to continue from now on. However, those thoughts were soon interrupted by the other boy's casual remark.

"Well, it seems like the others are already heading deeper into the grove, Bron. There's no reason for us to waste time here." He said in a friendly way, seemingly oblivious to his sibling's inner turmoil. Bron glanced at him briefly, seriously wondering whether Beros was simply teasing him or if he hadn't paid any attention to him. Even then, his voice was cold as he gave his answer.

"Nope, there isn't, Beros. No reason at all." He said as he started to approach his mother, causing his brother to give him a confused and slightly annoyed glance. He soon followed the other longneck, more than ready for the evening's meeting.

* * *

Littlefoot looked into the distance with a thoughtful look. He hadn't expected to hear such a story but even then, he had had absolutely no idea what to expect from the start. To hear about his parents' youth… something about it felt so strange. To him, they had always been some kinds of beacons of wisdom and comfort that it seemed odd they had once been young. But even then, there was one thought that bothered him most of all.

"Well… did you find out what was wrong with, mother? Because I have some kind of feeling that wasn't the only time you two met." He said, the outcome of the story more than obvious to him. He hated to hear that his mother had some inner sorrows but even then, it was clear she had got over them later on. Bron smiled at his son's remark, not really surprised by the question. He took a brief sigh before he answered to the younger male.

"I did, Littlefoot. She had similar sorrows as the rest of all dinosaurs but I'll tell of that later on." He said, looking at his son for a while. Littlefoot was clearly more than eager to present more questions and he was clearly struggling to decide what to ask first. Soon, he cocked his head and broke the silence again.

"Alright. But I wonder… you never told to me you had a brother, either. That's more than a little weird, dad." He said, having expected to hear of Beros already before now. Inside, he was getting a chilling feeling as the first, obvious reason for his absence rose to his mind. Bron's expression took a faraway look to it as he stared into the far distance. However, as he noticed the concerned look in his son's eyes, he gave him an approving look.

"As far as I know, he isn't dead, Littlefoot, so don't worry. It's just that we haven't met each other in a long while because we decided to walk different paths in our lives because… well, you'll learn of that soon." He said, causing the boy to breath a bit easier. Even if he had never met this Beros, he would still have hated to hear of another part of his family that had headed to the Great Beyond before their time. However, he still couldn't hold back his flood of questions.

"I'll look forward to it! But… where was this Emerald Grove? How did you get to know mother better? Wh… what happened next?" He asked with an excited voice, one that made Bron's lips turn slightly upwards. He looked his son in the eyes before continuing to speak again.

"You'll get all the answers in time, son. I promise it." He said, causing Littlefoot's eagerness to turn into a silent respect as he prepared to hear more of his father's story. Bron looked at the sky as he started to speak again.

"In any case, that evening I was quite worried about it all as I waited for Beros' return in our temporary sleeping place…

* * *

A deep frown could be seen on Bron's face as he looked at a small group of hills in the distance. Somewhere out there was his brother spending the evening with tranquil while he was forced to sit here and wonder just how all of it was turning out. He absolutely despised his situation and it took all of his willpower not to start kicking rocks or crying to the skies. However, his mood wasn't lost on one particular dinosaur whose voice soon reached the boy's ears.

"You can tell me what's wrong, Bron. I thought you would be overjoyed to finally have a real rest but I can clearly see you're not alright. You don't have to hide anything from me." She said, causing Bron to sigh deeply. His mother had no idea where Beros really was and he was in no mood to tell her any of it. Of course he appreciated her concern but this was something he'd have to get through by himself.

"It's okay, mom. You don't have to worry about me." He said while cringing his teeth together. He hated the fact that he was having these feelings towards his brother as he loved Beros as well but… he simply hated how he had came between him and Tranquil. Why hadn't he simply stepped aside and allow him to have this evening alone with her? Bron's mood fell by the minute and it wasn't helped by the older longneck's next words.

"You are clearly not okay, Bron. Everything was well when we got here but after that, it seems like you had just given away all of your tree stars. Is it because of your brother's absence?" She asked, just thinking how badly her son had wanted to reach the Glade. To her, Bron's worries were a true enigma and she wanted nothing more than to make the boy feel better. However, she was taken aback as Bron turned around and shouted at her with a loud voice.

"Not everything is about him, mom! We don't have to talk of him even when he's not here, do we!? He asked, suddenly starting to feel beyond miserable as he saw the shock and hurt within the female's eyes. He immediately knew that he had done wrong as the older dinosaur spoke to him sternly.

"I don't know what's the problem with you, Bron, but that isn't how you speak to me! I thought I had taught you at least that much!" She said, looking at the male with a deep frown. Bron's gaze fell and he let out a deep sigh and he shook his head sadly as he answered.

"I know, mom, and I'm sorry. But anyway, I'm as fine as I could be. Just leave me alone for today, please." He said, causing the female to look him deep in the eyes. She could see clearly that there was something that deeply bothered her son but it was also clear that he didn't want her help. That bothered her greatly even if she knew that was an unavoidable fact of life when your children reached the Time of Great Growing. She shook her head in clear loss as she spoke to the boy again.

"Do what you want then, Bron. I don't know what to do with you." She said as she turned around, clearly upset by all of it. The boy looked after her with a clearly saddened look as he didn't want to anger his mother like this. His burst of anger had come out of nowhere but something had snapped within him as he heard about his brother and he couldn't deny that he cared about him and Tranquil far more than about his mother right now.

Minutes passed slowly and once in a while, Bron glanced at his mother's massive form in the distance, observing as she slowly fell to sleep. Deep down, he knew he wouldn't be able to fall to sleep like this. He knew he'd have to see just how Beros and Tranquil's meeting had gone or he'd never find peace on this night. He realized very well just how pathetic his thoughts were: here he was going to stalk on his brother and the one he loved and hope their plans would fall apart. But even then, right now he didn't care.

After enough time had passed, Bron rose to his feet and headed to the direction the two lovebirds had earlier headed, hoping he'd find them soon enough. With any luck, his mother wouldn't even notice his absence which made the boy breath a bit more easily. He cowered as he walked forward, knowing very well that some other dinosaur would spot him but on the other hand, his nightly walk was none of their business.

If the situation had been even a bit different, Bron wouldn't have been able to ignore the beauty around him. The light of the Night Circle cast the woodland with its ghastly light and reflecting itself in the tiny streams flowing on the mountains around central plain of the Emerald Grove. The place was indeed worthy of its name as a poetic dinosaur would indeed have been able to see it as a shining emerald in the middle of the slowly dying world. However, Bron only saw Tranquil within his mind's eye, praying he wouldn't have his dreams crushed like this.

It wasn't long until the juvenile longneck saw the edge of the forest but at first, he wasn't really paying it much heed. He was preparing to storm out into the open but soon enough, he stopped in his tracks. He saw movement in the hills not far from him and he immediately crouched into the ground. His heart started to pound harder by the minute as he noticed that his initial guess had been correct. Beros was heading back to his family's sleeping place alone, meaning that his date with Tranquil had already come to its end. He let out a sigh of relief at that thought but otherwise, he stayed still and watched as his brother walked past him, not noticing the other male hiding under the lush bushes of the forest.

Bron counted the seconds as Beros disappeared into the woodland himself and after noticing that he was gone, the boy suddenly walked out of the cover of forest, wondering just what had happened between his brother and the female but in the end, he realized he wouldn't be able to find it out today. At the very least Beros hadn't seemed like he beyond joyful but that would be a question best left for tomorrow. The boy let out a deep yawn as he realized that he still had a chance in this game of love. However, when he turned around, he heard a voice that caused his heart nearly jump to his throat.

"Bron? What are you doing here? It's already very late!" A feminine voice asked, causing Bron's neck to turn at its direction slowly and with very forced moments. He could only barely calm his mind as he saw Tranquil walking towards him in the darkness. He stuttered slightly as he answered to her, praying he wouldn't say anything too stupid.

"I… I was just having a stroll alone. It isn't often one can have those in the Mysterious Beyond." He said, trying to give the girl a slight smile. Tranquil looked at him oddly, his composure not really convincing anyone of his honesty. She could see immediately that he wasn't speaking the truth but for some reason, that fact didn't make her upset in the least. She stopped close to the male before speaking to him.

"I can believe that. Do you like it here?" She asked, willing to see if the other young longneck would reveal more of his cards. Bron felt more than sick for being interrogated like this but he had no option but to get through this meeting somewhat smoothly.

"Of course I do. As I said, this place is simply wondrous! But… did you like my brother? I mean… did the meeting go well?" He asked, causing Tranquil's eyes to narrow slightly. Bron couldn't determine the reason for that quite yet but he was more than interested about what kind of answer he'd receive. Tranquil inhaled deeply before giving her answer.

"In many ways I did. Beros was quite fun and it was nice to have someone to talk to. I'm not sure about him yet, though…" She said, causing Bron's heart to swell deeply. Tranquil seemed to be hesitating deeply about something which had to be whether or not to meet the male again. Bron looked at her oddly before asking the next question, knowing he'd have to word it very carefully.

"Wh… what do you mean by that? Did he do something wrong?" He asked, really wondering what the female would say next. However, when she did answer, Bron saw the same hint of sorrow and sadness within the girl as before that made his own face fall steeply.

"No, it's nothing like that. Sometimes it just felt like… well, it doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter." She said, her mood turning from happy to nearly broken a matter of seconds. Bron hated to see her like this and he took a brief sigh before he finally asked about the issue that had bothered him the whole day. Maybe, just maybe, there would be something he could do to help her with whatever was bothering her.

"Wh… what's wrong, Tranquil? I already saw you like this earlier in the day and again now. Wh… why did you get so sad?" He asked, hoping he'd receive a clear and straight answer. Tranquil cringed her teeth for a brief moment before speaking to the boy again. She regretted the fact that she couldn't hide her own emotions any better but on the other hand, she was happy someone asked her about her feelings.

"Y… you're not interested in that, Bron. I'm quite sure of it." She said, trying to get past this conversation as soon as she could but the other male wasn't willing to give up just yet.

"I really am, Tranquil! I wouldn't have asked otherwise. Please, if there's anything I can do to help, let me do it!" He said in an urgent voice, taking an almost pleading look. He hoped that the girl wouldn't turn him away but if that would be her wish, he would have no option but to accept it. The girl looked at the male for many long seconds, clearly torn on whether or not to tell him of her feelings but after a while, she shook her head and sighed very deeply. Tranquil looked Bron in the eyes as she soon gave her answer.

"Bron… I'm not stupid. I know what most longnecks of our age want more than anything: to find a mate with whom they can spend the rest of their lives. I could see that Beros wants it as well and… and deep down, I'm no different. However, I can't help but feel disgusted by it all. You see… I already had someone in my life with whom I would have shared everything but… he left this world far too early." She said as she allowed a single tear flow down her cheek. Bron moved to stop it and the girl didn't move a muscle to stop him from doing so. She stood practically motionless, a look of deep sadness lingering within the bottom of her eyes. The boy looked at her with an understanding look, regretting deeply that not even she hadn't been able to avoid the pain of loss. His voice was barely a whisper as he tried to comfort the grief-stricken girl.

"I'm so sorry, Tranquil. What happened to him? He asked the obvious question, praying it wouldn't upset her further. The female's gaze fell further but her breaths grew calmer, implying that she was increasingly ready to tell the boy everything he wanted to know.

"Well… it wasn't a long time ago when we were exploring the upper reaches of the mountains surrounding the Grove as we had often done. We both wanted to know just what lied up there and those trips were also a great way for us to spend a lot of time together. We weren't too worried because no sharpteeth would be able to follow us through those narrow passes and deep gorges. We hardly could do it ourselves but somehow we managed. Yet… yet…" She started to weep more by the second and Bron could very well see that this conversation upset her greatly. He moved to hold her in a steady position and his whispered to her ear gently.

"It's alright, Tranquil. You don't have to tell me if…" He started but the girl wouldn't allow her to finish she cast him aside and forced herself to calm down before she spoke again.

"No, it's completely alright. I owe it to Strongtail to tell the truth about what happened to him. We were slowly approaching one of the peaks after spending weeks to finding the best routes there from here and… and that was when our mistake was finally shown to us. We never thought that… that a large herd of sharpteeth flyers would attack us out there. If we had only thought… thought about them before heading out there, he'd… he'd still be…" She sobbed as she thought about all of it. One moment he had been a living and breathing dinosaur and only a few seconds later, he was only a cooling pile of flesh… Tranquil cast the tears from her eyes as she heard Bron speak to her in clear confusion.

"But… how could a flyer ever hurt our kind? Sure, they can cause some nasty wounds but… but aren't they too small to kill a longneck of our age?" He asked, thinking about the times the dinosaurs of his herd had told him how such cowards waited for a chance to attack a young hatchling or a sick, elderly longneck because they were unable to prey anyone else. However, when Tranquil finally spoke again, she was clearly not too impressed with his analysis.

"That is complete crap, Bron. Remember that we were on narrow cliffs surrounded by steep drops to most directions. We could hardly fight back and even then, there were dozens of them. Even I nearly died because of the wounds they dealt to me and I only survived because… because he stayed behind and took the most of their attacks. Poor Strongtail… The last time I saw him he was but a battered husk of a longneck who was already covered in his own blood…" She said with teary eyes, those memories clearly hurting her deeply. A look of horror could be seen within her eyes and Bron's blood ran cold as he thought about all of it.

It was very conceivable that Tranquil wouldn't wish to find another mate so soon after such a disaster and he gave a brief breath as he relaxed after hearing the sickening tale. He hated the fact that he had absolutely nothing he could do to really cheer her up and the things he could say were beyond generic. Yet, he could only hope that would be enough.

"I'm so very sorry to hear that, Tranquil. Far too often our common journeys are cut short by the Circle of Life but… if we stay in the past, we won't have a future. I'm sure Strongtail would only want you to be happy. When did all of this happen?" He said, praying that he had said the right words. Tranquil looked at him sadly and after a few moments of sorting you her own thoughts, he gave his answer.

"About two cycles of the Night Circle ago. I've tried to get over it but when I met you and your brother, I could immediately see that you liked me and… and deep down, I felt the same but it was at that point that those memories returned to me. it was because I feared I would completely break down that I wanted to get out of that situation. And I know I'm not honoring his sacrifice fully but… but it's just so difficult to accept that he'll never return to me. And that he'd somehow be angry at me for getting another potential mate… Those are just some thoughts that have been swirling in my mind." She said, causing Bron to narrow his eyes steeply. Those words caused him to feel even worse for the other longneck and his words reflected them perfectly.

"I'm so very sorry about all of that. I've seen many others lose a loved one in my herd but luckily, I have been spared from that. But Tranquil, if you ever need someone to listen, I will be there. I promise you that." He said, causing the female to look right at his eyes with unreadable expression. It was clear that she was torn on how to respond to him and her expression was a highly conflicted one. However, deep inside she started to feel a warm feeling spreading. Something within the boy's presence calmed her greatly and slowly, she started to even smile.

"Thank you for that, Bron. But I think it's time for me to go to sleep. At this rate, we'll banter here until the morning." She said with a forced smile, causing Bron to look at her with deep appreciation. He then took a step towards her and spoke to the girl with a comforting voice.

"Yep, I agree. But would you like to meet again tomorrow? We could just…" He started but soon enough, Tranquil cut him short with a sharp voice.

"Not tomorrow at least. We'll go watch the sight of the Night Circle turning blood red tomorrow evening and I'd like to rest well before that." She said, causing the male to freeze momentarily. His cheerfulness died down immediately and he took even a downtrodden expression as he spoke to the other young longneck.

"Oh… okay. See you some other time, then." He said as he turned around, hoping this wouldn't be the last time he'd meet Tranquil before he'd have to leave the Grove for good. The girl looked after the boy with a faraway look, one that Bron would have greatly approved had he seen it. Deep down, tranquil started to realize that while Beros had been a fun and interesting companion, Bron had understood her far better and that meant the whole world to her. She gave a faraway sigh as she turned around, preparing for sleep. The next few days would very likely be the most important ones in her life.

* * *

Bron cringed deeply as he moved through the darkness, his momentarily great mood evaporating greatly. His brother still had the upper hand in the fight for Tranquil's heart and that in turn made Bron feel beyond sick. He gulped as he thought of the various ways he could take the initiative like giving Tranquil some gift or presenting his feelings to her in some other way…

"Bron, stay there. We have to talk." Those words made Bron's blood run cold and he quickly turned to look at the direction of the sound. The last bits of his good mood died down as he saw Beros approaching him with a clearly bothered look and one that immediately told the tone of the coming talk to Bron. The latter took a slightly confrontational pose as he saw his brother stop not far in front of him.

"About what, Beros?" He merely said, his mind quickly putting the pieces together. Somehow his brother had seen what had happened and that hardly meant anything good for him. Still, he wouldn't bow before the other boy, no matter what. The slightly larger longneck looked Bron for a long time before speaking.

"I'm quite sure you know what I'm talking about, brother. When I saw that you weren't out there with mother, I of course tried to come search for you and it wasn't long until I saw you with her." He said matter of factly, not yet revealing his real aims. Bron snorted briefly before speaking in a mocking tone.

"And what if you did, Beros? You don't own her nor me and I have the right to speak with anyone I want without hearing you whine about it!" He nearly cried, not willing to even argue about this issue. Either his brother would accept that he wouldn't receive everything he wanted in this world or he'd learn it the hard way. Deep down, Bron still loved his brother but for the first time in his life, he was ready to defend himself against anyone who would take what he loved away from him. The other male's expression fell quickly and this time he started to approach Bron again but the latter didn't take one step back.

"Bron, let me make a few things clear for you. I've always loved you deeply and I'd never, ever want to hurt you in any way. However, Tranquil agreed to meet me first and I'm sure she did it because she has already chosen me. So, stay out of my business or you'll be sorry before too long. Understood?" He asked with a stern voice but Bron wouldn't blink in the least. His voice was beyond cold as he gave his answer.

"Over my dead body, Beros. I will defend myself against any of your tricks or threats." He said slowly, the duo's eyes locked in this fateful moment. Neither of them wanted a fight but neither could they back down like this. However, it wasn't long until Beros got enough of all of this and he spat on his brother's foot in disgust as he spoke.

"I'm not in the mood to play with you right now. But mark my words, Bron. Give up on this folly now or regret it later. Good night, brother." He said as he turned his back on the other male and started to head back towards his sleeping place, leaving Bron to look after him with an expression that was a mix between outrage and despair. Was there still a way for him to win Tranquil's heart without burning his relationship with his only sibling? Even if Bron knew what he'd do in the next days, he still couldn't help but feel more miserable than in ages.

* * *

"I'm… I'm sorry you had to go through all of that, dad. It was already bad enough to me to fight Shorty those few times but to think that Beros threatened you like that…" Littlefoot said with a deep frown as he thought about it all. Yes, he had heard that sometimes males may act terribly over their love but never before had he really given any thought to that. Bron looked at him with a faraway look as he gave his answer.

"Yes, it was a terrible moment and one I still haven't completely forgiven that to him. While I was also very angry at the moment, I would never have gone to threaten him over that. Littlefoot, should you ever find yourself in a similar spot, remember to always allow the girl to decide her future mate as that is the only fair and peaceful way to solve these kinds of problems." He said glumly, looking his son in the eyes. He had seen more than enough bloodshed over love during his life so he wanted nothing less than to see the boy descend to that level of savagery. Littlefoot thought about it for a few seconds before frowning deeply.

"Dad… I think I have some feelings towards Ali, a member of one Farwalker herd and it's true that seeing her like some other longneck more would really hurt me but… but her happiness is the most important thing for me. If I won't be good enough, it'll be my fault, not hers." He said, a deep longing filling his heart as he thought of his old friend. Where could Ali be these days and could it be that she was thinking of him in the same way? A slight smile rose to Littlefoot's face as he thought about her, not able to deny that his father's story brought her vividly to his mind. Bron nodded at the child approvingly, having expected nothing less from him.

"That's good, Littlefoot. I can't stand anyone causing discord and violence in my own herd over something like this. It isn't worth it for anyone." He said, willing to make this point as clear as possible. However, Littlefoot's mind had already moved on to other, more somber matters.

"I never knew mother had gone through such a loss of her own. I… I don't know what to think of it." He said, not able to avoid pondering about the obvious implications. Had she thought of his fate and what kind of the pain she had went through herself after she had realized that it would be her last day? Inside, he knew he had done all she had simply to protect him but maybe… just maybe she had known just how badly her loss would hurt him. Bron nodded wearily, knowing just what Littlefoot meant.

"It really hurt her greatly. I could see that it had left a great mark upon her but I don't think we talked about it anymore save for a few times. I'm certain she had long since accepted the obvious but wounds like those will never truly heal. But your mother was one dinosaur who was able to forge a way forward no matter the cost to herself. He demonstrated just that to you." He said, more than proud of his old mate. She had been one of the strongest longnecks he had ever known and inside, he was more than grateful that her courage had lasted until the very end. Littlefoot took a greatly bothered look as he thought about all of it.

"She indeed did. But the more I listen to you, the more I realize just how right I was when I asked you about her. I knew nothing about mother. In a way… she was like a complete stranger to me." He said, knowing inside that those words were but a folly. Even then, he hadn't even known her real name nor anything of her past. But even then, Bron's next words made his heart jump immediately.

"Littlefoot, you knew her better than anyone. Nobody else knew just the depth of her love and her hope and I can honestly tell you that those were her very best and most profound qualities. Tranquil was truly a great longneck." He said with a heavy voice, his own longing for her growing by the second. Inside he cursed that his failed journey had robbed him of so many seasons to spend with her but as he thought of Shorty and his herd, he knew that those sentiments were far from true as well.

The younger male, on the other hand, shuddered as he thought about all of it. The way she had taught him all he needed to know and the feeling of love she had given him… they suddenly made the boy realize something. Yes, he had indeed known just what lied deep within her heart and that was the part that mattered. Everything else was just details that made him appreciate her even more but inside, Littlefoot realized he already knew the truth about her, a thought that made a wide smile appear on his face. He then answered to his father in a warm voice.

"You know what, dad? You are completely right. She was the best dinosaur I've ever known and I'm beyond happy that I got to know her for as long as I did." He said, his heart swelling greatly as pride filled his thoughts. He couldn't have been prouder about his mother nor more grateful to her, not just because of her sacrifice but also about everything that had happened before that. Bron looked at him in approval, deciding that now would be the right time to continue his story.

"I agree with all those words, son. I really do. In any case, my next day was far from the most exciting one or at least it was until Beros and Tranquil's meeting. I wasn't there with them but your mother told me everything about it…

* * *

An expectant look could be seen on Tranquil's face as she looked at the darkening sky, more than eager to see just what would happen soon enough. Beros claimed that the Night Circle would turn blood red and cast its surroundings in a similar hue. The duo lied on a large rock on one of the hills five minutes' walk from the central plain of the Emerald Grove, looking at the Night Circle shining its pale light over the land. Tranquil's heart was filled with a flurry of differing emotions as she looked at the sky, listening to the boy's words.

"I'm certain you'll love it, Tranquil. The Night Circle will turn into a glorious hue of red, a sight that we don't see every day. Our herd has been talking about it for a few days by now. I'm not sure how it works but some elders in our herd can predict it by looking at both the Night and Bright Circle's movements." He said dreamily, more than happy to share this moment with the girl. His previous fight with his brother was far away from his mind right now, entirely dedicated to enjoy this moment of peace with his crush. Tranquil looked at him oddly before speaking to him in a genuinely excited voice.

"I've heard of such things as well but not many in our herd have given it much thought. I'll be more than happy to see just how it'll look in my own eyes." She said, causing Beros to glance at her briefly. The boy truly enjoyed her company but a certain thing shadowed his thoughts. he knew his herd would be on the move soon enough and he wasn't ready to part ways with them just yet. So those facts left him with only one question, one he had to present right now.

"Tranquil… I have one question for you." he said in a serious voice, causing tranquil to look at him oddly. There was something in his voice she didn't like in the least but even then, she wouldn't simply cast that question away.

"What is it, Beros? Ask me anything you want." She said, locking eyes with the male. The latter gulped slightly but kept his expression steady. His voice seemed to belong to someone else as he finally presented his question to the girl.

"Well… you certainly know that we Farwalkers are moving forward tomorrow or the day after and I'll go on with them, no matter what. But… I wouldn't want to lose you when we finally leave. I ask of you Tranquil… would you want to come with me? I'd be beyond happy to have you on my side on all the adventures we'll go through in the seasons to come and I'm sure you'd love it as well." He said with the sweetest smile he could give her. He meant every last word he said and the feelings within his heart were genuine and he prayed with his every cell that he'd receive a positive answer.

That question seemed to stop Tranquil's world completely. At first, she prepared to agree without any hesitation but almost immediately she realized the full implications of those words. She felt extremely warmly towards Beros but… she had just met him yesterday. And her parents and siblings… was she prepared to part from them just yet? Suddenly, she started to think of all that she'd lose probably for good and those thoughts made her shiver slightly.

And then there was another thought that rose to her mind. Even if she accepted, she'd give her agreement to Beros alone, leaving Bron completely alone at that point. And… at least judging by their first meeting, Bron had been a really sweet longneck and… and even if the girl didn't want to acknowledge it just yet, his willingness to understand her inner feelings meant her more than she had initially thought.

The male looked at her with a bothered look, not having wanted to see her hesitate this much. It was more than clear that something bothered her very deeply but for now, he only wanted her answer. He put his foot on hers and whispered to her silently.

"What's wrong, Tranquil? I promise that I'll protect you from all who would do you harm." He said, those words hardly registering within the girl's mind. Even now, he was thinking about himself but on the other hand, who was she to judge him in a moment like this? She turned to look at him and just as she was about to giver her answer, she turned to look at the Night Circle and yelped to her companion in excitement.

"Look, Beros, it's happening! The Night Circle is changing its color!" She yelled and indeed, its familiar white hue was giving way to a hue of pink which was more than an unnatural sight for any dinosaur who hadn't seen it before. The night was almost completely dark and the increasingly red ball in the sky created more than an eerie sight. Tranquil looked at it in clear enchantment, not having really known what to expect.

The boy, on the other hand, suddenly lost most of his interest on the unusual phenomenon. He knew Tranquil had just used it as an escape path from his question which was in a way understandable but something that upset him clearly. He couldn't just demand the answer from as that would only make him look like a complete jerk. For now, he had to simply accept his situation and hope that he'd het a new chance before long.

"An amazing sight, isn't it? I've only seen it once before myself and it may take many, many Cold Times before we'll have another chance to see it. Many other kinds believe it is an ill omen but ours most often just accept it for it is." He said, trying to keep his increasing worries at bay. He had to keep his calm if he wanted to have another shot in winning the girl's heart. Tranquil looked at the sky with wide eyes, asking the obvious question haunting his mind.

"I wonder why it does that. There has to be some explanation for it." She said, not willing to even guess if her companion knew the answer. Beros shrugged slightly as he heard those words before giving his answer.

"Nobody knows. It most likely has something to do with the movements of the Bright and Night Circles but other than that, we don't know." He said, causing Tranquil to frown deeply. She was slightly disappointed with the answer but decided against pushing it further. Seconds turned into minutes as the blood red Night Circle shone over the world, the sky reflecting its gruesome hue. However, the color started to slowly fade away, growing weaker ever so slowly. Tranquil looked at the sight in slight disappointment, looking at the sky sadly as it turned back to its natural blackness. Beros took a brief sigh as he voiced the obvious.

"That was that, Tranquil. Weren't you happy we were here to see it?" He asked, hoping he'd receive a somewhat positive reaction from the female. Tranquil looked at him with a deep smile and after a moment, gave her answer. Yes, she had enjoyed the display very much and something within Beros' presence made her feel happier than she had felt in ages.

"I certainly did. Beros, about your earlier question… Yes, I think I…." She started to speak but before she could even get to the most important part, her eyes flashed open as she felt the ground starting to tremble below her. Immediately, her gaze turned towards the peaks around her and her heart started to grow cold as she realized what was happening. Immediately, she rose to her legs and cried at the male.

"It's an earthshake, Beros! Let's get away from here before rocks start to falling on us from the upper reaches!" She cried, immediately heading towards the path to the central plain of the Grove. Earthshakes were far from rare in these lands and Tranquil knew very well what could happen to a careless traveler in these hills during one. Beros cursed deeply at his luck, knowing very well that the answer he had been waiting for had been only a few seconds away from leaving the female's mouth but this cursed Earthshake had robbed him of his chance to finally get rid of one of the biggest challenges of the life of a longneck. He spat his curses before following Tranquil, seeing very well that her alarm wasn't a joke.

The girl, on the other hand, gasped in shock as she looked at the rocks starting to fall everywhere around her, knowing that even one of them would be enough to crush her body completely. With every second, larger stones started to roll on the path but even then, Tranquil had to pray she wasn't too late.

However, it didn't take long for her to realize she was asking for too much. She stopped in her tracks as she saw a massive boulder break off from the mountainside, dropping straight towards the spot only a bit in front of her. The girl took a few steps back in fear as he boulder hit the path which was at that point overlooking a misty wasteland on the Glade's eastern side.

Tranquil cringed as the boulder obliterated a large section of the path and another, even greater shock registered on her face as she felt the ground below her starting to break because of the rock's impact. She tried to jump to safety but it was already too late. She screamed in fear as she found herself dropping into the abyss, a mass of rocks hitting her body with nasty force. Her cry voiced the very fear that these could be her last moments in this world.

* * *

Bron, on the other hand, felt beyond miserable. He lied in the ground, listening to the conversation of the herd's elders. First, he was forced to just waste time here instead of spending it with Tranquil and now, he was hearing even more bad news. His expression turned into a disgusted one as he heard one elderly female answer to the other adults around her.

"I'm glad all of you agree. We have to take a look on how the regions to our south have been affected by the Great Dying and because of that, we cannot stay here for much longer. I propose that we'll be in our way when the Bright Circle reaches its zenith tomorrow. Are we in agreement?" She asked but before long, a younger male asked her with a serious voice.

"I agree with you on most of what you said but we can't simply head out there without knowing exactly where we'll be going. We've all seen that the plains around us are dying and if we won't reach any green place like this within a few weeks, the food won't be the only thing that's going to die!" He said, those words causing many concerned looks among his companions. Each of them knew he was right as the life of a Farwalker had become extremely dangerous and tasking as of late.

However, none of that mattered to Bron. His thoughts were fixed around Tranquil and the fact that at this rate, he'd have to say his goodbyes to her tomorrow morning, a thought which made him beyond miserable. He had no idea what to think in a situation like this but at least his emotions were telling him to reject that scenario.

But how exactly? He couldn't meet the girl today and in the morning, Beros had most likely already conquered her heart. The boy sniffed slightly as he thought about it. Maybe he had been too weak and hesitant to even earn someone like Tranquil. Maybe it would be his part in life to grow old alone like any male as pathetic as him would be doomed to do.

Suddenly, his eyes flashed open as he heard a loud rumbled followed by a distant cry from among the mountains. Even if the voice was barely audible from that far away, he knew just whom it belonged to. It was Tranquil and she was clearly in trouble! Even before he could start to think rationally, he had risen to his feet and cried at the adults.

"It's tranquil, one of the children of our host herd! We've got to help her if she's in trouble!" He cried before turning around and running towards the sound of the call. He could hear his mother's voice echoing behind him but the boy didn't even listen to them. The only thing he cared about right now was saving the girl he loved, no matter the cost.

* * *

Every part of her body ached as Tranquil opened her eyes. She immediately realized that she was lying in some kind of body of water, even before she opened her eyes. She let out an alarmed gasp as she finally forced her eyes open and the sight was every bit as hopeless as he had thought. She could see dark water and sky everywhere around her, their monotony only broken by a few threes in the distance. However, the girl also soon realized that it wasn't a lake she was lying in but rather a bog. As she realized that, she spat the disgusting tasting mud from her mouth as she heard a familiar voice call to her.

"Tranquil! Can you hear me? Please, tell me you're alright!" Beros' alarmed cry cried to her and the female couldn't help but cringe as she turned to look upwards and call to the boy.

"I… ouch, I'm as well as one would be after that drop! But I have to get out of here soon or else…" She started but the words died down in her mouth as she realized just where she was. This marsh was only a short way away from the Grove but it was like a whole different world. This place was highly feared by her herd for very good reasons, ones that manifested themselves to her soon enough. A look of horror could be seen within her eyes as she started to see quick movement within this realm of shadows. And it was at that moment that she let out a loud screech.

As she heard that another call, Bron started to feel even more horrified. Only a dinosaur who was certain that death was approaching her would let out such a voice and he only doubled his efforts to run as fast as he only could. And soon enough, his efforts were awarded by the sight of his brother who was quickly running towards him. Bron wasted no time demanding the obvious question from his brother.

"Where is she? And don't you dare any kinds of games this time, brother!" He cried and to his slight relief, he could see no trace of despise or threat within the other boy's gaze. Beros panted deeply as he gave his answer to his only sibling.

"D… down there, Bron! She's surrounded by bellydraggers and… and I can see no way to reach her! We've got to find some path that…" He spoke but he was soon interrupted by his brother. Bron couldn't believe the other longneck's failure to act in a moment like this and he didn't hesitate one moment before he gave his stern answer.

"Screw any paths! She needs our help now!" He cried and without any hesitation, jumped over the edge of the cliff but tried to slow his fall by getting some kind of footing in e small cracks within the hillside. Beros looked at his brother and at first, he was about to tell him to get out there and start being somewhat reasonable. However, his heart told him that his brother was right this time. Tranquil's life could literally depend on a few precious seconds and his own fears mattered nothing when the life of her love was being threatened. He immediately followed Bron's example and headed into the heat of the fight that he knew could very well result in his demise.

* * *

A look of horror was painted on Tranquil's eyes as she looked at the three predators quickly surrounding her, their gleaming eyes yearning for her death. She tried to look for any ways to get out of this nightmare but the darkness and her lack of time prevented her from trying to figure out any of kind of escape. She covered in fear as first of the bellydraggers leaped towards her and with a quick move, she managed to dodge the attack. However, just when she thought she had saved herself, she saw the gaping maw of another bellydragger opening in front of her. Even if she wasn't a child anymore, she was still just small enough to be taken out by a trio of the massive bellydraggers.

For a fleeting moment, she thought her days were numbered as the beast's maw got closer and closer to her. However, just when it was about head for her neck, something happened that she hadn't been able to foresee. The carnivore suddenly let out a loud screech as it was sent flying to its side. Tranquil looked in surprise as she saw both Bron and Beros stand in front of her, the former speaking to her urgently.

"Follow us, now! We've got to get out of here!" He cried and he wasted no time turning around to head somewhere that was at least a little further away from the beasts. However, the girl's question caused him to frown deeply.

"But… we can't get out from here! At least I haven't heard of any way to escape from this marsh! Our herd has always tried to stay as far away from here as possible!" She cried to which Bron simply cringed deeply. His heart was beating wickedly as he tried to think about what to do. It was true that the wall seemed to be quite steep anywhere which left him with only one chance. He knew it'd be a long shot but at least the earthshake had already ended.

"In that case, let's try to climb back up! It's our only chance!" He cried as he looked at the large cracks in the wall. He knew very well that the bellydraggers wouldn't be able to even attempt such a climb and even for a longneck, he knew it would be a herculean effort. Beros looked at him in shock and cried in clear disbelief.

"You can't be serious, Bron! We'll never b…" He spoke but this time, Bron didn't want to hear whining.

"We have no options so we have to at least try!" He yelled as he took a good footing in the lowest crack, immediately aiming for the upper one. Tranquil looked at the boy in clear concern, not having the slightest confidence that his plan would work. However, she could understand his point perfectly well and she headed after him, hoping that survival wouldn't turn out to be a mere fool's hope.

The three bellydraggers, however, were far from ready to see their prey escape like this. The trio looked at each other while smiling deeply. They then surrounded the hill under the longnecks and started to batter the mountainside heavily. They knew that together, they'd have a very good shot at ending the leafeaters' escape once and for all. The wall started to shudder worryingly as their bodies hit into the rock again and again and Bron's expression turned into a fearful one as he realized that his grip on the wall was starting to slip. Beros saw it and with a horrified voice, he spoke to his brother.

"Bron, look out! You're about to drop!" He cried but before Bron could answer, the worst-case scenario happened. With a loud cry, the male felt his grip finally fail completely and he could only look in fear as he started to drop back into the ground… and into the bellydraggers' gaping mouths. He was already saying his last prayers, more than sickened that this would be his end.

He had already hoped that he'd be able to grow old with Tranquil and to have many children with her but… but no, he'd die here, no one mourning him soon enough. Well, at least his brother and Tranquil would live happy lives themselves and maybe she'd remember him one day for saving her from certain death. A single tear escaped from Bron's right eye as he headed back to the deep.

However, one certain dinosaur wasn't about to allow that to happen. Tranquil could see Bron's drop in complete slow-motion, each second of his plunge seeming to stretch forever. This was a dinosaur who had come to her help as soon as he had heard her call even if she had only rejected his wishes to even meet her. The one who had tried to understand her even if she had tried to push him away… Suddenly, a look of determination rose on the girl's face as she cried to the other longneck.

"Bron, don't give up! Hold on for a little longer!" She yelled as she suddenly turned around and jumped towards one of the bellydraggers, deciding she simply couldn't let this happen. Bron had shown nothing but kindness towards her ever since they had met and Tranquil could never again see herself as even a decent dinosaur if she let him to die here.

Bron on the other hand couldn't believe those words. Tranquil simply couldn't risk her life because of him, not after she had practically escaped from death's jaws! He was just about to answer her when he realized there was no time for that. He suddenly kicked at the wall to prevent himself from falling into the beast's gaping maw. He cringed as the creature's teeth dug into the bottom of his foot but he still kept his attention on what he was dong. The boy landed into the water heavily, seeing two of the bellydraggers preparing to finish him off for good.

However, that didn't come to pass as Tranquil suddenly stepped on one beast's head, shutting its mouth with her foot. She then hit the other one with her tail, wailing in pain as the third one used the opening to tear into her left side. She cursed as she hit it with her tail, blood pouring into the dark waters. However, she then spoke to Bron urgently, her voice leaving no room for any kind of disagreement.

"Rise up, Bron, so we may get out of here! Follow me!" She yelled as the three beasts recovered from their initial shock. The boy looked at the other longneck in shock, not believing she had actually come back here to save him from his ghastly fate. However, there was one thing that hanged in his mind greatly.

"Thanks for that, Tranquil but you shouldn't have come here! We can't climb the wall all the way up as those bastards would just do the same trick over and over again!" He yelled, that fact causing his gratitude to turn into horror. Tranquil glanced at him briefly as she ran, calling to him angrily.

"Well, then we'll have to find another way! I'm not leaving you here and that's final!" She yelled and even if Bron hoped it wouldn't come to this, he was still slightly happy that the girl cared for him this deeply. That knowledge alone caused him to smile wider than he could remember in a long time.

* * *

Beros panted heavily as he looked at the display below him. He had just reached the top of the wall after a long climb but he felt far from victorious. He wanted nothing more than to help Tranquil survive the encounter but no matter how he looked at it, he couldn't come up with a way to get her up from there in time. He was more than annoyed by his brother's appearance but even then, the male realized fully just how pathetic it would be for him to be jealous towards his brother in a moment like this.

And none of that mattered if Tranquil met her end on this day. His expression was a mask of fear and he felt his mind breaking in two… until he saw something that made his hopes rise slightly. A huge boulder just against the wall and with any luck, he should be able to… Suddenly, a look of hope rose to the boy's face as he called to the duo below him.

"Tranquil, Bron, there's a large boulder not far in front of you! Climb on it and I'll throw a large pile of vines to you!" He cried as he ran towards a nearby tree to get them. However, he could hear loud footsteps in the distance, telling him that he wasn't the only one willing to save the two juvenile longnecks.

* * *

Those words caused Bron's eyes to narrow slightly as he simply couldn't decided whether or not to believe anything his brother said. He hated being forced to think like this but after yesterday, he simply wasn't able to trust him like he used to. However, it wasn't long before he saw the boulder Beros had spoken of. A look of slight relief rose to his face as he headed towards it, praying that salvation wouldn't be an empty hope after everything he and Tranquil had gone through.

Tranquil cringed as she jumped on the side of that massive rock, realizing that even it was a bit too slippery to climb easily. However, after a while of struggles, she was finally forced herself on top of it, helping the boy immediately afterwards. She lowered her tail for him and Bron wasted no time accepting the aid he was given. One of the bellydraggers then attempted to attack him but he managed to force himself away from its range just in time. The two looked at each other in approval for a fleeting moment before Bron cried to his brother.

"Beros, throw us the cursed vines! We can't last here for much longer!" He cried, praying that his brother wouldn't fail him now. However, it wasn't long before the duo saw a pair of vines dropping towards them from the above. However, they were far from as strong as Bron had hoped and he immediately yelled to his brother in fear.

"Is that all you got? This won't be strong enough to carry us!" He yelled, knowing that was the case. However, the other boy's answer made him feel beyond miserable.

"That's all there is here! Don't waste any more time there!" He yelled as he looked at the bellydraggers climbing to the boulder, knowing his brother and crush didn't have a choice but to leave that place now. Bron then looked at the girl, exchanging encouraging glances with each other. If this was the end from either of them, they'd know that they had at least done everything in their power to safe each other. The duo looked at the attacking bellydraggers in fear, knowing their time was up. Bron took a deep breath as he grabbed at the vine, praying he was wrong about it being able to carry his weight.

After a few seconds, his heart was starting to feel a bit more hopeful as the vine was still intact and he was already his tail's length above the bellydraggers. They looked at the longnecks in clear annoyance, more than outraged that their meal had just escaped. However, there was still a chance that one of them would fall to them and at that moment, they'd finally have their reward.

Tranquil shuddered as she pulled her upwards, more than horrified by the situation she now found herself in. She could hardly believe that her very life depended on that one narrow vine and if she'd ever hear a snap, she 'd know it's all over. The edge of the cliff grew ever closer but just as she had dared to hope she'd reach safety, Beros cried to the duo in horror.

"They're weakening by the second! Bron, Tranquil swing yourselves towards the wall or you'll fall!" He yelled in fear, causing the two other longnecks' hearts jump to their throats. Yes, it was still possible they could climb the rest of the way but to their horror, that particular spot was largely devoid of any cracks or spots where they could receive a decent footing. However, Bron managed to find one and to his slight delight, he could still see the female by his side. However, the way upwards seemed far too difficult for them to even try it. Any attempt to get higher would most likely result in them simply falling into the ground… with lethal consequences.

Bron looked at Tranquil, able to see very well that her strength was being depleted also. They couldn't hang there for much longer but if they had no choice but to get upwards anymore… Bron looked at the girl and spoke to her with a sickened voice.

"I… I guess this is it. We can't stay l…" He started but his voice was suddenly overwhelmed by a loud bellow from above them.

"Kids, grab our tails and we'll pull you up from there! Bron, hold on for a bit longer!" The boy's eyes widened as he looked at the cliff above him, not able to believe his luck. He had never expected to see that his mother had followed him out here but apparently his quick departure had raised many questions within her. He quickly cried back at her, affirming that he understood the situation.

"Very well, mom, but please hurry! We can't last much longer!" He cried, for the first time in ages lamenting his quickly expanding size. A few seasons ago climbing had been much easier but even then, that was one of the downsides of his kind. He looked in expectation as he saw the massive tail quickly dropping ever closer to him and as it reached his height, he took a deep breath as he grabbed it, seeing that Tranquil did the same with his own father.

The boy looked in fear at the three bellydraggers far below him which were clearly seething with anger, finally realizing that their meal was finally out of their grasp for good. They turned around furiously, heading back to the marsh, hoping that they'd never have to go through a disappointment like this again.

Bron nearly collapsed into the ground as he finally felt solid ground below him. The sensation felt sweet beyond words after that horrifying climb and one that he had for a moment thought he'd never feel again. He slowly turned at his mother and spoke to her in clear shock.

"Thanks a lot, mom. I had already thought that… that we wouldn't make it." He said, looking at the older longneck in deep relief. However, it wasn't she who answered but rather Tranquil's father whose voice was beyond stern as he spoke to Bron and Beros.

"It has hardly been a day since you came to the Valley and already you nearly sent my daughter into the Great Beyond! What is the meaning of this?" He asked, trying to tone his anger down slightly for his daughter's sake. He had seen just how happy the girl had been when she had spoken of the Farwalker boy but he wouldn't allow this to happen again. Beros gulped slightly but he didn't run from his responsibility in a moment like this.

"I… it was all because of me. I wanted to show her the red Night Circle but… but things got out of my control." He merely said, the rest of his words dying within his mouth. Tranquil looked at her oddly but decided that those words wouldn't sit well with his father. She suddenly stepped forward and spoke to the older male.

"He means that there was a big Earthshake which broke the path a bit further in that direction! It wasn't his fault that all of this happened, it was just bad luck, daddy! He and especially Bron did their all to save me even if that meant they'd get hurt instead!" She said, the scene turning into more of a mess by the second. Bron and Beros' mother suddenly turned at her children and looked at each of them angrily.

"And neither of you told me about any of this! Do you have any idea just what I would have done if I lost both of you without even knowing what happened to you!? Do you, Bron and Beros?!" She cried in a shocked voice, not able to believe the duo had actually just done what they had. However, this time it was Bron who stepped forward to explain.

"I'm so sorry, mom. The thing just is that… both of us wanted to win Tranquil's heart and… we didn't want anyone else to know of it. It was already a bad enough mess without you getting involved." He said, his heart aching as he spoke those words. At this point, it was likely that his last chance of winning the girl's love had died so he might just as well take any punishment the older female would give him. She looked at the duo with a suspicious look and she also sniffed deeply before giving her answer.

"I've had to look at idiotic males fighting each other for some girl's love my entire life but I had at least hoped that my own sons would be above such disgusting behavior. I… I'm more th…" she started but at that point, Tranquil decided to step forward. She was far from happy with the older dinosaur's words and right now, she had made her choice. She felt more resolute inside than she had felt in ages and the two brothers' presence made her more than happy. Tranquil looked at Bron's mother's eyes and spoke softly.

"WIth all due respect, I have to disagree with you. I never saw them fight each other because of me and they even worked together to save me. And besides, their efforts weren't for nothing." She said, knowing she wouldn't be able to step back anymore. She had revealed her feelings in front of everyone and she'd stand proud through this meeting, no matter what.

Bron's heart dropped as he heard those words. D… did Tranquil actually mean that? Was she still ready to accept either his or his brother's bid to be her future mate? Bron didn't even notice he was shaking as he thought of the possibility. Seconds seemed to stretch on forever as all dinosaurs present waited for someone to say something, anything. Tranquil's father's eyes were wide open as he stuttered the only words he could form at this point.

"Wh… what do you m… mean? Are… are you really saying that…" He said, the implications of those words not lost on him. However, he was glad the girl decided to save him from this most awkward of situations by answering his question.

"Yes, I am. Bron and Beros, I'm beyond thankful to both of you for helping me and I really like both of you very much. Beros, thank you for taking me to see the red Night Circle and for your willingness to meet me so many times. You truly are a great longneck and one anyone would be happy to spend their lives with." She spoke, everyone present listening in complete silence. However, at that point it was obvious to everyone what the female was about to say next. Bron's heart raced wildly in his chest as she turned to look at him with a warm smile. Her words were like the sweetest sounds of the early Warm Time's wind to him as he listened to what he said.

"But Bron always understood me better and he never overlooked my wishes over his own. You risked everything to help me and you were there to comfort me when I told of Strongtail. Bron, I will be happy to be your mate if you only accept me." She said, causing the boy to shudder deeply. He tried to speak but not one sound seemed to be able to his lips. Slowly, he started to move forward towards the other longneck and as the two embraced deeply, he spoke to her in a wavering voice.

"Thank you so much, Tranquil. I love you." He spoke as the others looked at the sight.

Beros stared at the two with wide eyes, his entire world starting to break around him. H… how dare she? He had done far more to her than his brother! Any sane dinosaur would have chosen him! It shouldn't even be a question! At first, he nearly started to rush at his brother and to claim what was his and to show Bron that he had meant what he had said last night. Rage boiled within his mind… until it died down completely.

Who would that earn him? He'd just earn both Tranquil's and his mother's eternal wrath and disdain and besides, it wasn't Bron's fault. It was his own. Slowly, he realized that he had only cared about himself all along and that he had never cared about anything the girl had said. He was truly a pathetic loser, one who was supposed to spend his life alone and forgotten. At the very least his brother would be able to keep Tranquil happy far better than him. With beaten and resigned movements, Beros turned around and moved away from the others, weeping inconsolably as the depth of his failure registered in his mind.

However, his brother's emotions were a complete contrast to his. Bron felt like he wasn't even in the same world anymore, as if he had moved to land of eternal happiness and joy. As his body leaned against Tranquil's, all of his worries seemed to pass away and he could very well feel similar sentiments forming within the girl's mind as well. He didn't care about the two other longnecks around them, his moment of endless happiness drowning all of his other thoughts. He didn't even think of his brother and his triumph over her, only about the one he loved. That moment was soon interrupted as his mother asked him in a wavering voice.

"B… but we already decided we'd get on the move by tomorrow! We can't stay here for any longer." She spoke, her mind filling with deep fears about what kind of an answer she'd receive. Tranquil was just about to speak when Bron cleared his throat and turned at the two adults with a wavering voice.

"Mom, I'm so sorry but… it's time for me to start my own life. Tranquil's father, I'd like to ask you to allow me to stay here with your daughter." He asked, not knowing what kind of an answer he'd receive from either of them. Their eyes as well as Tranquil's were locked upon the boy who prayed that he wouldn't have to argue about any of this anymore. He loved Tranquil and he knew she'd stand with him as well. The girl looked at him in shock, never having expected to hear those words. Of course, she'd be happier if he were here but the tension hung in the air as Bron's mother and his father prepared to give their answers. After a moment, the older female asked her son with a grave voice, clearly hurt by all of this.

"Bron, my boy… Do you have any idea how those words make me feel? Only half an hour ago, everything was well but now, you are asking me to leave us, forever? How can you do this?" She asked, a hint of anger apparent in her voice. It seemed like she was on the verge of tears, the sudden escalation of things more than sickening her. However, her son's answer calmed things down greatly. His voice was equally saddened as hers but even then, he knew he was making the right decision.

"I know, mom. I should have told you about all of this earlier and I don't pretend to justify any of that. But… our elders have also told us many times that when you see something of great value in your life, you have to pursue it without any hesitation. And that's what I've decided to do today. I'm sorry about it but I promise you that we'll see each other again. Please, mom, I hope you understand." He said as he looked at the older female in the eyes. At first, she was about to rebuke him again but on the other hand, she couldn't have been prouder of him.

No matter how badly she would have wanted to convince herself otherwise, Bron was no longer a child and deep down, she understood it was his time to decide just what he wanted from life. Even if it hurt her greatly, she realized that it was time for their ways to part. If Bron seriously loved this girl, all she could do was to hope he'd be happy with her and that their relationship would be a lasting one. She lowered her neck to the boy's level, speaking to her softly.

"Very well, Bron. I understand. I just hope you know what you're doing." She said with a teary voice. The situation felt so very unreal but he was old enough to make these decisions for himself. He then nodded at the female, his heart swelling in happiness.

"I do, mom. Thank you for understanding but at least we'll still have a chance to say goodbye in the morning." He said, not noticing Tranquil looking him with an excited look. She couldn't believe her luck but there was one last thing that made her somewhat worried. With a careful look, she turned at her father and asked him with a soft voice.

"Certainly he can stay, dad? Please?" She asked, not really believing he'd decline her plea. Sure, few longnecks had moved to the Grove lately but she had never heard that her home was closed to any outsiders. The older longneck looked at her with a worried look, clearly torn about her question but as he stared at his daughter's gleaming eyes, he realized there was no way he could refuse. He rolled his eyes briefly before finally giving a sigh of resignation.

"I have to ask the others, Tranquil, but I doubt any of them will say no." He said, meaning what he said. Tranquil's face turned immediately into the widest possible smile as she yelped her thanks to the older male before turning back towards Bron and running towards him as quickly as she could. The two then nuzzled each other, knowing that the time of yearning and longing was over and more than sure that they'd be together for as long as they lived, through calm and storm. This was the best day of both of their lives and one that they would never forget.

* * *

The night wind started to get colder by the minute and Littlefoot didn't even realize that he was slightly shuddering. The Valley was completely still, not a breath of wind to be felt under the brilliant, pitch black sky. The boy was simultaneously moved and saddened by that tale, thinking solemnly at what would happen in the coming Cold Times for his parents after the tale's conclusion. However, his thoughts were suddenly snapped short as he saw the surprisingly sad look on his father's face. She asked him softly while cocking his head.

"Umm… dad? What's wrong?" He asked, already guessing what made the older male feel so miserable. And indeed, Bron looked at the sky while shaking his head in clear sorrow.

"I wasn't worthy of my own words, son. I wasn't there with her until the end. I can't help but feel that I wasn't worthy of the love she always gave me." He said, such words making Littlefoot more surprised than he had felt in a long while. He had never seen his father question himself and the boy had always seen him as an eternally resolute and encouraging leader. What he saw before himself was a far cry from that, a testament to how badly his mate's loss still hurt him. However, Littlefoot wasn't about to let him dwell in such thoughts.

"You truly were, dad. We all did just as she would have wanted and I'm sure she would have wanted it no other way. At least not after seeing all the good you've done to your herd. It was a great story, dad. Thanks for telling me at least a bit more about mother." He said with an emotional voice, treasuring each of his father's words deeply. He had always yearned to hear something like this and he couldn't help but feel happy that his parents had been able to share their lives after those events. Bron lowered his gaze at hi son, speaking to him silently.

"Yes, that's what I'd want to believe. But on the following day, my herd indeed left the Grove and even if Beros would have wanted to avoid meeting me, we still agreed to end our rivalry right there. I've only met either of them once since then and while my mother has already most likely passed away, I wouldn't mind meeting my brother after all these seasons. I lived in the Grove for a long, long time happily with your mother until the Great Dying finally reached it as well and after that… Well, you can guess that part." He said, concluding his story with a heavy voice. Littlefoot could only look at him with a silent respect as he spoke to the older longneck.

"Gee. leaving your family like that must have been tough. I don't know what it would f…" He started before realizing the obvious parallel in his own life. He suddenly felt very awkward as he looked at his father, suddenly realizing he had made the different decision than he had after their original reunion. Suddenly, the boy started to wonder whether Bron had thought of any of it back in the day but almost immediately, he relaxed. Returning to the Valley had been his choice and one he hadn't regretted for one day. And indeed, Bron nearly chuckled as he answered.

"Don't worry about that, Littlefoot. I don't know if I did the right thing but I do know that the love of your life is a better reason to abandon all you've known than an old longneck like myself. I understand completely." He said, relaxing the atmosphere between the father and son considerably. However, there was no more thing that lingered within Littlefoot's mind.

"If you say so. But dad… there's one thing that I've been wondering. Have you ever had the feeling that whenever you think of mother, one of the tiny lights in the sky seems to twinkle right back at you?" He asked, wondering just what kind of an answer he'd receive. He had never told about it to anyone before and even now, he hesitated about it greatly. Bron looked at Littlefoot oddly, clearly pondering what kind of answer he should give. He frowned deeply as he spoke to the child, a little disturbed by what he had said.

"No, I haven't. Nor have I heard of such a thing in my life. But I believe you if you claim such a thing as you were the most precious thing to her. She was such a kind and powerful soul that I wouldn't be surprised if she looked over us even more than most of our other passed loved ones. I don't know what to say but if you speak the truth, know that you are still guarded by the best dinosaur either of us have ever known." He said, Littlefoot's words giving him courage. He couldn't say if what he told was true or if it was a child's wishful thinking but it was something he wanted to believe at least.

Those words made the younger dinosaur smile deeply as he looked at the sky, the familiar twinkle immediately reaching his sight. Whether it was really his mother looking at him or his imagination, he really didn't care. As long as he was able to feel her presence in his heart, he would be content with his place in the world. Littlefoot thought about all he had heard for a brief moment before starting to yawn deeply. The older male looked at him kindly as the boy started to speak.

"Thanks for the story, dad, but I think it's really time for me to go to sleep. It's awfully late." He said as he rose to his feet, a gesture soon replicated by his father. Bron looked at the boy happily while he spoke to him.

"Thanks to yourself for listening to me for this long, son. I might even tell you more in the two days we'll still stay in the Valley, if you want to." He said, earning an eager expression from the boy. He managed to hide his fatigue for a while longer as he turned around to has towards his family's sleeping spot.

"I'll look forward to it, dad! But bye for tonight. thanks again for everything!" He yelled as he headed into the plains of the dark Valley. Inside, he was beyond glad by the tale he had just heard as for the first time, he knew something about his dear mother's younger days. But equally as strongly, he felt curiosity and expectation within his heart as he thought of the story's conclusion, only able to wonder just what his parents had felt in that most beautiful of moments. And deep inside, he started to wonder if he'd ever be able to share such happiness with Ali in the seasons to come or would Beros' fate be his? He gulped in fear as he thought about that but for now, he decided to ignore those worries.

What really mattered was that in the next few days, he'd be able to share more similar evenings with his father and to bask in the happiness he felt with his presence. And indeed, the boy couldn't deny that he was more than expected to find out just what kind of feelings he'd find once he and Ali got a bit older. But for this evening at least, he'd dwell in the happy memories of his mother and the careful excitement for the first time he'd truly find romance in his life.

* * *

**And so concludes my Gang of Five July prompt. Similarly to last year, every participant had a special prompt given only to them and this time, mine was "Getting yourself a girlfriend/boyfriend is usually not an easy task. Even worse if the subject of your choice fancies someone else than you. Write a fanfiction set in the LBT universe that features the struggle a character of your own choice to overcome this particular problem. It is completely up to you whether he is successful or not.**

**As an additional spark of inspiration, you may consider using a set-up in which the subject of love interest is struggling with the loss of the one they fancied to further complicate things and add a tragic touch."**

**Now, I must admit that I was far from excited to do another romantic fic but when all was said and done, I'm quite happy with this story. It took a long time to write but it was also delayed because of me being a bit busy and due to a personal tragedy. Anyway, I hope you liked this "short" story which got a bit longer than initially planned and see you again with my next short story. I doubt I'll do another chapter for Separate Ways before the next prompt and I ask for your patience on that story. ****As a reminder to everyone, I use the setting and the name for Littlefoot's mother that I introduced in my older fic called The Promise for a Better Future.**


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